A Common Tread

[HARDCORE]

They say that wisdom comes with years (I am still hunting for mine), but it does strike me as interesting that: ?In all despotisms, there seems to be a few common treads!?

I still love the cute handles, however, that some of these regimes constantly apply to their dirty work! Be it ethnic cleansing, breathing room, or yes, even a few new twists on the old manifest destiny angle, when an aggressor is called to account, he always attempts to turn the scenario around, claiming that he is the injured party! (Alas, a lair by any other name!!)

For instance, do you remember how Japan blamed their aggression upon the United States for squeezing off the natural resources they needed to survive in 1940-1941? Or how Hitler claimed that he was just repatriating territory seized from Germany after World War I? ?I guess that some people can find an excuse for just about anything!?

Now take a long hard look at the two gadflies now swimming about in the international stew - IRAQ and NORTH KOREA!

We (USA) have been at the throats of both of these bad boys in the past - Korea in 1950, and Iraq in 1991! ?Was anything lasting really resolved in these two conflicts?? Both have, and continue to erupt in instant replays!?

North Korea got greedy back at the half-way mark of the Twentieth Century, and attempted to absorb their neighbors to the south! The very same held true as concerns Iraq?s actions in the last decade of that very same century! Both North Korea and Iraq have posed a dangerous threat to global security on numerous occasions since these past conflicts, and both have resorted to threats to keep the griddle hot and to chisel their way into our collective wallets! Alas, both have issued far more grief than should have been absorbed by any nation, or group there-of! Both bark like junk yard dogs but quickly cool the rhetoric when confronted or $atiated! Both also utilize the media to their distinct advantage, and for this matter, so do we? ?It?s all in the Game of State!!?

And lastly, neither one of these ?World-Class Harlots? will just go the hell away, it?s not their way! And anyone who thinks (or thought) differently is dragging upon tainted cannabin! Ah, but then such is the nature of the beast, is it not? I mean, what in the hell would mankind do for a hobby if it could not fall back upon war or greed, right?

So keep it up amigos - beat those drums, rattle those chains, thump your chests, and sound off like you?ve got a pair! But there is a point where you cross the barrier and naught but force (the language of the non-diplomatic type) can slake the thirst of a viper! ?And Iraq and North Korea are fast approaching that point!?

Not much changes with time it seems, and all is as it was with the Nazis, Saddam Hussein, the old USSR, and the North Korea of yore! And all of those trumpets, that sparkling clean military hardware, neatly pressed uniforms, flashy dress parades, and goose-stepping troops from these aggressor nations, never seem to look as proficient or spiffy after the excrement of war has been splattered all over hell!

VERITAS (maybe)? :cd: :cd:

[catman]

Keep up the fire brother!

Trav

[reconeil]

Still, one should expect no more or no less from these foreign sicko fanatics with a little muscle.

What bothers me most, and especially regarding North Korea, is how My Country appears to be handling the troubling confrontation. Granted, I have only TV and newspapers for Intel.
But, it all seems very strange to me.

First-off and in 1994, Clinton agreed to feed all children in North Korea and supply them fuel, since they agreed to stop playing-around with nuclear missiles and/or "Nuclear Prolification".

Then, and even though God only knows why revealed fairly recently, satellite shots revealed to Clinton in 1998 that not only were The North Koreans still messing-around with nuclear goodies,...they had also built or were building a massive underground nuclear complex.
Therefore, any sane person must believe that anything The North Koreans say,...just doesn't mean diddly-squat.

Thusly, and since quite obvious that a North Korean can only be trusted as far as he can be thrown,...why-the-hell is Bush now seeming to start the same old time-wasting and futile process all over again? He must know that any agreement with such,...is truly no agreement at all.

Neil

[HARDCORE]

You tell me what the 'Hell' any other political is doing and that will make at least two of us in the nation who will know what the hell is going on?!?

[catman]

Ok guys, here goes. It is my very own unprofessional opinion that Bush is buying time. Yes it is true we can fight and win a two front war, but who wants to?

Everyone knows that North Korea or any other Communist country could never be trusted with anything, let alone their word or a signed document.

A two front war would be a very big logistical problem. We do not have the planes, trains or ships that were available in WWII. The draft would cause mass hesteria.

Bottom line, stall tactics.

Trav

[Boats]

Hardcore,

Once we step back and let them hit their neighbors than you will hear the squeeling for help or assistance. Right now the satelite countries don't have any armies and the money to fight a war so they all wait for the US to jump right in.

China and Russia won't sit back and let them go forward especially if they know we aren't going to back them up. I would lay the cards on the table and tell the so called alias - Hey Guy's here's where its at what are your going to do about it? If they aren't worried than hell why should we care if they take out their neighbors - BUT!!! In the long run you know who will have to clean up the mess - US

[Seascamp]

There seems to be a growing position that the US should push this plateful of worms across the table to S. Korea, Japan, the PRC and Russia and just say you deal with it, we?ll stand by and protect our national interests where we see fit. It?s my feeling that N. Korea is looking for a raise in subsidies and weekly allowance and is using this nuke deal to shake down the neighborhood and/or the US. They?re a pitifully bankrupt, corrupt country that is in perpetual famine, internal convulsions and is playing their well-practiced extortion scam, in my opinion. The risk is that they may not get their way, have a tantrum and renew the civil war with S. Korea. If everyone stays out of it, it will be an exercise in turning each other into junk without any tangible results either way except destroyed countries.

A number of Bush?s Party members are advocating this position so maybe that?s why we?re seeing the position changes. I?m guessing on this but it seems logical that those with vested interest in the neighborhood deal with this N. Korean menace primarily and the US take a secondary position. I?m for that as long as we boom boat target the hell out of N. Korea and let them know what?s going to happen if the even look like they are up to their SOS and drag out a nuke.

Scamp

[reconeil]

Especially hope you're right about that: "Stalling tactic" Me Bucko and/or Friend,...since things being as lethally dangerous as they are nowadays, believe that WE (the entire world inclusive) are running out of time. Previously political-correctness was only an annoyance to be suffered internally. Nowadays, being politically-correct and/or being overly-sensitive towards foreigners' (even murderous foreign enemies) well being, wishes, wants and demands,...could be our very downfall. I guess one could call such: "Being nonsensically-liberalized to death" or; "Today (America), Tomorrow The World"??

Therefore, I have to pretty-much go along with the other Old Bucko and/or Swabbe Boats and hope for The Best,...and especially for those youngsters (re.The Military) putting their collective buts on the line for us now, and as we speak.

Hey,...who knows? Maybe those foreign low-lifes and cavalier murderers of their very own people will finally: "See The Light" and start chanting: "Peace, Love and Togetherness", as so many once did and still do actually believe The World to be all about? Still, and since not similarly such a naive nut, I wouldn't hold my breath for such an absurdity coming to pass. Would anyone else?

Neil

[catman]

Neil, bear in mind that what i said is a prayer/hope and more than likely not what is going on. I would love to see PRC and Russia step up to the plate and do something good for a change but am very afraid that will never happen.

Russia has it's hands full with their own problems, satelite countries dropping off like flies over there.

PRC - who knows what the hell is happening behind the great wall. They have kept a pretty low profile since that episode at the "Square". If it came down to it, i do believe that, China might have a thing or two to say about what htier neighbors do in their backyard.

Trav